TOMATOES 



205 



however, find some strain near home which makes 

 you ambitious to plant that particular kind. There 

 are not many cases where it is advisable for the ama- 

 teur to try to save his own seed, but the tomato is one 

 plant which is easy to propagate successfully from 

 home-grown seed. You can tell at once which plant 

 is doing the best for you, and can pick the best speci- 

 mens from this plant for your next crop. When the 

 fruit is fully ripe, take out the seed, soak it a day 

 or so in water, shake it, and clean it in a sieve, 

 spread it out to dry 

 on a newspaper, and 

 put it away in an 

 envelope, plainly 

 marked. 



Preparing a Win- 

 dow Box. — It is 

 easy to plant to- 

 mato seed at home 

 or at school. Such 

 planting is especially 

 useful in school to 

 stimulate interest, as 

 this seed is planted 

 about the last of 

 February in the temperate belt, and it awakens the 

 thoughts of the children to the spring that is ahead. 

 Put into a box, about ten inches by twelve or fifteen, 

 three inches of rich, light earth. This earth must 



Ready tor the Field 

 A dozen Earlianas, grown in window boxes. 



